Overshoe



Patented July 26, 192 7. o

UNITEo sr-ATS- PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. PIPER, SUDBUBY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Appnmion ma much `12,V182a., ,.ser1a1 no. 94,295.

' My (present invention is directed to van improve ..1,562,254, vdated November 17, 1925, is

vits

typical.

In the manufacture ofovershoes, wherem nietallic fasteners of the above type are utllized, as heretofore universally made, the design and construction of the entire shoe is .for the application of the fastener at the action of the slide in opening or closing the devices, and do not operate efiiciently over such a curved surface as at the instep of the shoe. This difliculty, Vhowever, has been somewhat overcome by attaching the metallie strips and interlocking members to yielding devices, but a further and great' difliculty has been that the Constant flexing and bending of the entire overshoe and the attached metallic fasteners, vduring walking, results in distorting the metallic members, throwing the interlocking portions out of alinement, and even breaking the parts. It will be appreciated that constant bending, to and fro, of the small, light metallic members, particularly where Wire-like interlock-l ing devices are employed, as in the Prentice patent above noted, necessarily results in weakening the wire and a co ntinuous"bending quickly tends to break the same. A'further objection to the use of these metallic' fasteners along the front part'of the' overshoe, particularly for ladies7 wear, Vand When' worn over leather shoes, pumps, slipp'er's, etc., is the undue stifl'ness and resistance tol the bending and fiexing of the ankle'o'f the wearer.

I have discovered that lthere is asubstan-j tially non-flexing portion of anove'rshoe, or

at least so s'lightl'y bent and flexed, thatno 11.1]ury will result to a metallic fastener positioned along this line of relatively slight distortion during walking. Thus I have found that by positioning a metallic fastener of [the type above noted, along the side of the overshoe and practically in a line free from substantial'bending, that the metallic fastening devices are m'aintained in efliciency, preserved from distortion, prevented from -jamming, or becoming unworkable, and preservedfrom breaking the interlocking parts. .Such a line, I find vis along either side of 'y the overshoe, 'substantially midway between front center line' of the overshoe from the forepart up over the instep. This arran'ge'- the instepi line and heel portion, but preferablyinclined, rather than in a vertical' position. While such a positioning of the metallic fastener may be on either the right or left, sides of the overshoe, I prefer to osition the fastener on the right side of a eft overshoe, known as the *inside and on structure, pattern and article, may be more accurately fmade, cut and fitted, with a smooth uncut surface along the front, 'over the instep, having the closure and attached metallic fastener at the side and substantially` along the line of least distortion imparted 35 to the shoe during walking.

Thus, incarrying out my present inven= tion I first make and form the shoe substantially along the lines of the pattern therefor, as shown in my copending application, .90' Ser. No. 96,766, filed March 23, 1926, with the closure opening positioned slightly inclined' or 'diagonally from the lower part upwardly and rearwardly, although I can, of course, make the closure in a substanti` ally Vertical position with re ard to the tread'surface of the overshoe. n either position, the metallic fasteners are applied in apracticall straight line, and are maintained in this position, with slight distortion during walkin, thus preservin the metallic fastemnfgs in t eir necessarily ne interlocking adjustment, insuring the quick and easy operatlon of the fastening and unfastening guide block, and preserving the metallic members vin most eflicient operation, VWhile actually improving the'fitting, appearance and construction of the shoe, b having the upper materials extend, smoot y overV the' instep. i

I am aware that heretofore leather shoes have been made with fastenings o n the side, but these have been either eyelets and lacing,

buttons and button holes, or elastic webbing-but no such difliculty or problem is presented With such prior fastenings as is present with a metallic fastener of the Judson or Prentice type. .Such prior devices, also have usually been a plied to leather shoes, which, ordinarily, o not extend as high upon the leg of the wearer as do overshoes, and whichV leather shoes do not re uire to be so quickly and` easily applied, astened, unfastened and removed, as do overshoes. Furthermore, there was no necessity in prior devices, of having the fastening elements positioned along a substan' tially non-flexing line, and prior to my present invention, it has not been thought possible-so far as I am aWare-to apply -a metallic fastening to any other part of an overshoe than directly along the jfront medial line. I believe that I am'v the first l to have discovered the desirability of positioning a metallic interlocking fastener along the ,side of an overshoe, and the first also, to have discovered a `substantially nonflexing line along which' such a metallic fastener can be applied in an overshoe and therefore I claim the same herein broadly. Referring to the drawings illustrating a. preferred embodiment of my invention, 1 -ifsa front view of my improved ove oe; i

Fig. 2 is a side view'showing the fastener in a--preferred position on a diagonal aline- 'ment at the left side of a right shoe.

V'Shape or style of overshoe may Wprieing mbstantially waterproof i ,'v material- ,fitted-snugly over the instep portion Gen with the opening to receive the -closure along the lines substantially as shown In spplying my invention, any size,

be employed, wherein the sole 1, heel 2, and side part v81m1' ;"be and arev of usual interlaced rubber 'an textile material, the up r conlil texti e at'Tlnd 8 on the insideportion of each overshoe. ,'An inner ket 9 isc` applied as usual. To the edges -and 8 are secured the ,1 opposite rows of interlockingmetallic fastening members desi atedi'generall at 10 and operatedb a sli ing guide bloc 12 moved by a han le 14, which Vguide 'blockas is usual and fwell known in allthese types of metallic fasteneraserveszto position, interlock and fasten the opposite parts of the metallic fastener when-being drawn from bottom to topor vicel versawith the closure open, while serving equally to unlock the interlocking parts When moved from top to -bottom-or viceversa-to open the overshoe. lIf desired the usual protecting flap 15 I is applied to enclose and protect the top part of the fastener secured in position by a socket 16 and stud 17 or by buckle or otherV desired i device.

With the metallic fastener secured to the op site edges of the closure, as indicated at and 8, and substantially along a slightly diagonal line from a position preferably over the arch of the foot, up to a pointf practically midway of the forward and rear- Ward portions of the top of the overshoe, I secure the advantages of having the entire metallic fastener and the interlocking parts, When closed in practically a non-movable or non-distorting line, during the necessary I flexing of the overshoe while the wearer is walking. vThis position is so slightly flexed or distorted as to be' a non-injurious movement, or a distortion so slight as to be norp mally takenup by the necessary looseness in the parts and not requiring a damaging distortion or bending of the metallic members. Furthermore I secure a better, easier and smoother fitting over the instep w 6.

view, is a highly advantageous feature.

My invention is further described and defined inv the form of claims'as follows:

1. An improved overshoe having a' smooth unbroken surface over the instep and front' portion, a closure opening positioned on a the forward part of the arch of the overshoeup to a point substantially midway of the front and rear portions of the top of the overshoe and along the inner side portion thereof, and an interlocking metallic slide .fastene'r secured along the sides of said openmg, 'said opening and fastener being thus positioned in a line substantially free from distorting action lduring walking.

2. That improvement in the art of manufacturing rubber overshoes, whicli consists in making the upper With a smooth, unbroken surface over the instep and front r diagonal line extending from a point over tions of the top of the overshoeand in such' a position that the flexing of the s hoe during Walking Will be without a breaking strain on the interlocking metallic portions 10 r of the fastener.

In testimony whereof, I have sig'ned my name to this spec1fication.

WALTER E. PIPER. 

